Beam splitter for FEL undulator

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

The invention is an improved undulator system for free-electron lasers (FELs) or synchrotron radiation sources. It uses a specialized kicker system—an arrangement of magnetic and/or electric field deflection units—to steer the electron beam before it enters the undulator. This allows the radiation output from a single undulator to be selectively directed to multiple user stations, rather than requiring a separate undulator for each station. The system can rapidly switch or sweep the beam direction, providing flexible and efficient use of the radiation source.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Distributing synchrotron or FEL radiation to multiple user facilities (e.g., research labs) from a single undulator system.
• Providing multiple experimental groups with access to high-brightness photon beams without needing redundant equipment.
• Reducing infrastructure size and cost for large-scale light source facilities.
• Supporting advanced photolithography processes for semiconductor manufacturing, especially at short wavelengths like EUV.
• Enabling parallel experimental setups in material science, chemistry, or biology using the same radiation source.
• Utilizing high-power radiation for simultaneous multi-station industrial applications.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Drastically reduces facility cost and footprint by eliminating the need for multiple undulators.
• Allows efficient time-sharing or multiplexing of a high-value radiation source among several users.
• Enhances flexibility—user access can be dynamically changed without mechanical movements or long downtimes.
• Improves utilization rate of synchrotron or FEL installations.
• Potentially enables new experimental configurations that need rapid beam switching or beam splitting.
• Reduces maintenance and complexity of large facilities by centralizing critical hardware.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

It is the objective of the present invention to provide an undulator system that provides radiation, preferably synchrotron radiation, with a single undulator to various user stations thereby using an appropriate and simple set up for the undulator system. A kicker system enables the transfer of the radiation to various user stations by using only one single undulator. The delivery of the radiation to various user stations achieved by deflecting the charged particle beam from its straight particle trajectory is widely controllable by an appropriate steering of the kicker system.